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Maritime · head to head

CargoSmart vs Kongsberg Vessel Insight

CargoSmart logo

CargoSmart

Maritime

Global shipment visibility and intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kongsberg Vessel Insight logo

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

Maritime

Vessel data infrastructure and satellite connectivity sold as a per-vessel subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CargoSmart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CargoSmart no pricing published on website; Kongsberg Vessel Insight vessel Insight is infrastructure, not insight; the applications that produce operational value are separate purchases, so the subscription buys a capability that shows a superintendent nothing on its own.
  • They diverge on capability: CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking, Kongsberg Vessel Insight covers Onboard data collection unit.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CargoSmart and Kongsberg Vessel Insight actually diverge.

Attributes where CargoSmart and Kongsberg Vessel Insight differ
AttributeCargoSmartKongsberg Vessel Insight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Cloud
Founded2000Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CargoSmart

  • Real-time tracking
  • ETA predictions
  • Exception management
  • Carbon tracking
  • SAP TM
  • Oracle
  • Shipping lines
  • TMS

Only in Kongsberg Vessel Insight

  • Onboard data collection unit
  • Bundled satellite transfer
  • Standardised vessel data model
  • Kognifai marketplace
  • Fleet dashboards
  • Kongsberg equipment integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CargoSmart

  • Logistics and cargo managementnot Kongsberg Vessel Insight
  • Shipping and supply chain coordinationnot Kongsberg Vessel Insight
  • Freight forwarding servicesnot Kongsberg Vessel Insight

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

  • A shipowner with a mixed fleet who wants one normalised data feed instead of a different data extract per engine makernot CargoSmart
  • An owner who has stalled on digitalisation because nobody will own the satellite bandwidth costnot CargoSmart
  • A manager wanting to run several third-party performance and emissions applications from one onboard installation rather than one box per vendornot CargoSmart
  • A fleet already running Kongsberg automation where the onboard integration is straightforward rather than a bespoke engineering jobnot CargoSmart

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CargoSmart

  • No pricing published on website
  • Pricing model not disclosed
  • Requires direct contact with sales
  • No free trial or freemium tier mentioned

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

  • Vessel Insight is infrastructure, not insight; the applications that produce operational value are separate purchases, so the subscription buys a capability that shows a superintendent nothing on its own.
  • Pricing is per vessel per year and unpublished, which for a large fleet is a substantial committed annual cost with no benchmark available before entering a sales process.
  • Onboard installation has to fit a vessel's trading pattern, so a fleet rollout is measured in port calls and dry dockings rather than in weeks, and the subscription usually starts before the whole fleet is producing data.
  • The vessel data model is Kongsberg's, so migrating to a different data platform later means re-instrumenting every ship, not renegotiating a software contract.
  • Integration is easiest with Kongsberg equipment; on vessels with other makers' automation the collection scope and the engineering effort both increase, and what you can actually collect varies ship by ship.

Pricing, plan by plan

CargoSmart

Free
  • Professional$299/month
    • Unlimited tracking
    • ETA predictions
    • Analytics

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

On request
  • Vessel Insight$undefined/year
    • Subscription per vessel per year
    • Onboard collection hardware included in the subscription
    • Satellite data transfer cost included

Which should you pick?

Choose CargoSmart if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want eta predictions.
CargoSmart review

Choose Kongsberg Vessel Insight if

  • You need onboard data collection unit.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want bundled satellite transfer.
Kongsberg Vessel Insight review

Questions people ask

Is CargoSmart or Kongsberg Vessel Insight better?
Neither clearly leads. CargoSmart starts at Free and Kongsberg Vessel Insight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CargoSmart or Kongsberg Vessel Insight?
CargoSmart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CargoSmart and On request for Kongsberg Vessel Insight.
Does CargoSmart or Kongsberg Vessel Insight run on more platforms?
CargoSmart runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Kongsberg Vessel Insight runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use CargoSmart for free?
Yes. CargoSmart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kongsberg Vessel Insight starts at On request.
What is CargoSmart best used for?
CargoSmart is most often used for logistics and cargo management, shipping and supply chain coordination, freight forwarding services. Of those, logistics and cargo management and shipping and supply chain coordination are not what Kongsberg Vessel Insight is typically brought in for.
What can CargoSmart do that Kongsberg Vessel Insight cannot?
CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking, ETA predictions, Exception management, Carbon tracking. Kongsberg Vessel Insight covers Onboard data collection unit, Bundled satellite transfer, Standardised vessel data model, Kognifai marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CargoSmart: How much does CargoSmart cost?

CargoSmart does not publish pricing on its website. Pricing is customized based on specific requirements and must be obtained by contacting their sales team directly.

Source
Kongsberg Vessel Insight: Does Vessel Insight include the satellite cost?

Yes. The subscription bundles onboard hardware and data transfer, which is the main reason owners choose it over building their own collection.

CargoSmart: Does CargoSmart offer a free trial?

CargoSmart's website does not mention a free trial or freemium tier. Pricing and trial availability must be discussed with their sales team.

Source
Kongsberg Vessel Insight: Do I get performance analytics with it?

No. Analytics and reporting applications are bought separately from Kongsberg or from third parties on the Kognifai marketplace.

Kongsberg Vessel Insight: Does it only work with Kongsberg equipment?

No, but integration is deepest there. On other makers' automation the collectable signal set and the installation effort both vary.

Kongsberg Vessel Insight: How is it priced?

Per vessel per year, quoted. Nothing is published, and installation timing depends on vessel availability.

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